Confide in Me
by angels-stole-my-police-box
Summary: A face from Sherlock's dark past is recruited by Mycroft to help him with Moriarty. Will they be able to help in time and will they recieve the welcome they were expecting. Many many thanks to Term Hiddles aka Hayley for my cover. xx
1. Chapter 1

**Sherlock Holmes and all its characters etc are the property of Conan Doyle (my hero) and in part belong to the amazing Mark Gatiss and Stephen Moffatt. All other people and scenarios are all mine.**

**Please note this is considered an M/MA raiting in accordance with website guidelines. Contains past drug use, swearing, implied prostitution, violence and smut.**

**Thank you.**

_A face from Shelock's past is recruited by Mycroft. Will they be able to help him and will they get the welcome they were expecting._

Her heels made a staccato rhythm on the polished marble floor. She was dressed to kill. The red silk hugging her frame and sashaying as she walked. It would have him speechless. As she reached the heavy doors at the end of the corridor she gave herself the last once over and knocked.

Inside Stein smiled at the knock at his door. He set down his glass, stood and smoothed down his trousers. As his hand went for the door handle his phone buzzed. Cursing he looked at it briefly. Now was not the time for business. Pocketing his phone once more he opened the door and gasped.

"Are you going to let me in or just admire the view?" she breathed.  
"Yes yes sorry... please won't you come in?" Stein stuttered.  
She was beguiling. Her red hair cascaded over her shoulders. The dress clung to every inch of her body, an ornate pearl necklace nestled at her very ample bosom. He took her wrap and placed it carefully over the sofa.  
"Drink?" he asked.  
"Please. Vodka tonic." she said moving to the full length window that offered an amazing view of the streets of Paris below.  
Stein took a moment to enjoy the view then joined her with her drink.  
"Here's to an interesting evening." his held his glass up.  
"Yes, just how interesting is up to you sir?" she arched her eyebrow.  
"They did tell you I like the more bizzare stuff right?"  
"Of course why do you think they sent me?" seductively she ran her hand down his shirt front and let it rest on his waist.  
Stein gulped and flinched slightly at her touch.  
She finished her drink and put down her glass on the table behind him, making sure he got a good look at her cleavage.  
Standing before him she shrugged off his jacket.  
"I thought we could maybe start here and then we could..." she said licking her bottom lip.  
Stein quivered.  
"I won't hurt you! Not unless you want me too that is?"  
"Oh god!" Stein choked as he felt the zip on his trousers pulled down.

The doors to the suite burst open. Men in full combat gear and armed to the hilt piled in. Stein was taken a back and quickly pulled up his zip.  
"She's not with me! She just..."  
"On your knees!" one of the intruders shouted.  
Stein shakily complied.  
It was then his companion started to scream hysterically.  
"Be quiet!" Stein hissed.  
It was no use she started clawing at his arms.  
"Get off me you stupid bitch!"  
"For god's sake take her in the other room!"  
Two of the guards roughly pulled the screaming woman to a standing position and coerced her into the bedroom.  
"What the fuck do you want? Money? I've got money!" Stein spat.  
"I'm not interested in your money Mr Stein! All I want is the flash drive!"  
"What I don't have anything!" Stein's head snapped back as he was punched.  
"Don't lie to me you were seen in Momarte making the exchange!"  
"Momarte I've never been there!" he said spitting blood onto the carpet and trying to ignore the screams coming from the other room.  
"Perhaps your tongue will loosen for my employer Mr Stein. You won't find him as lenient as me." the intruder took out a cable tie from his pocket and secured Stein's wrists behind his back and pulled him up.  
"Get him out of here!" he pushed Stein over to his compatriots.  
"What the fuck I told you I haven't done anything!" Stein protested as he was pushed from the suite.  
"Now lets see if that whore can't help with our enquiries!" the commander said with a sneer and opened the bedroom door.

The whore in question was calmly sat on the rather large bed; her escorts flanking her either side.  
"You will do well to remember who is in charge of this mission Captain." she said icily.  
"Yes ma'am."  
"If I hear you call me whore again I will cut your balls off and give them to the dog. Understand." she said rising to stand toe to toe with him.  
The Captain nodded shakily.  
"Good, now Mr Stein won't be very clever at covering his tracks which gives us about 10 minutes before they coming looking for this!" she said pulling out the flash drive from her cleavage.  
"Shall I ring HQ ma'am?" handing her a mobile phone.  
"No I will. Go and make sure that the coast is clear." with that the soldiers left.  
She punched in the number and waited. The call connected.  
"I have the flash drive in my possesion sir." there was no answer.  
"Sir?"  
"Agent Western how lovely to speak to you." the voice sent a cold shiver down her spine.  
"Mr Holmes it's been a while."  
"Hah yes Bosnia wasn't it?"  
"Yes that was the god forsaken hell hole you sent me to. It rather irritated you I came back if I remember." she had started to walk out of the suite and headed to the lift.  
The line was quiet.  
"I see that you are still able to work your magic so to speak." Mycroft sneered.  
"What do you want Mycroft? I'm on a mission and I haven't got time to mix pleasantries."  
"How do you like London in the spring?"  
Her hand stalled over the lift button.  
"What did you just say?"  
"London in the spring is a beautiful time of year don't you think?"  
There was a long pause.  
"Is he using again?"  
"Oh brother mine is as perky as ever."  
"I said is he using again? Don't piss me off Mycroft. I don't work for you anymore!"  
"Tut tut language my dear. My brother has a new friend; a doctor. He seems to be keeping him on the straight and narrow. Are you jealous?"  
"Fuck you! I couldn't care less about your junkie brother!" her voice wavering for a second.  
"Ahh see that's where you are wrong. You've always had a soft spot for Sherlock."  
"If you remember your brother made his intentions quite clear the last time we met; I ended up in a secure facility with you as my nanny!" the lift arrived and she got in.  
"He needs you Toby. Got a spot of bother with a psychopath. You may have heard of him."  
"What makes you think I know lots of psychopaths?"  
"Moriarty, Jim Moriarty." Toby felt sick.  
"I can guess by your silence you've heard of him."  
"Yes unfortunately. He is not one to be trifled with, how the hell did your brother get mixed up with him?" the lift doors opened onto the foyer.  
"They have a lot in common, murder, violence, taste in music... So will you come?" Toby stepped into the cold Parisien night.  
"Only if you say please." she smirked as the sleek black car pulled up in front of her.  
"Don't make me beg it brings me out in hives!" Mycroft snorted.  
The driver held the door open for her and she got in and made herself comfortable.  
"Well?"  
"Yes I will come back to London."  
"Splendid there is a jet waiting for you. See you soon Agent Western."  
"Oh Mycroft?"  
"Yes?"  
"You will beg by the time I'm finished!"Toby disconnected the call.


	2. Chapter 2

As the street of London flashed past the cars window Toby sighed. She had vowed never to see this place again. Too many bad memories. She hated herself for letting Mycroft get under her skin. He had played to her weakness yet again. Why even after all this time can he make her come running?

_The door of Mycroft Holmes' office door bounced off the wall behind it._

_"__I tried to stop her but she pushed past." Anthea blustered following a rather annoyed woman._

_"__It's alright Anthea you can leave us." Mycroft rose from his desk as she left._

_Toby stood with her fists balled at her sides. She was trying her best not to vault the desk and kill its owner. She shook with rage as she looked at his smug expression._

_"__Agent Western. I take it all went well?" he motioned for her to take a seat._

_Toby remained silent and glared at him._

_"__You prick! You sent me to a brothel!" she roared._

_"__No I sent you to a gentlemen's establishment."_

_"__A whore house!" Toby spat._

_"__With your unique talents Agent Western I thought you would be the right person for the job." He said with a smirk._

_Toby snapped. She strode over to his desk and slammed her fist down on it causing Mycroft to stumble back into his chair._

_"__You are unbelievable. You sanctimonious arse hole. You would have fit right in with that rod up your back side; that's one of their specialties!"_

_Toby heard a snigger behind her._

_She sharply turned around to see a man leaning against the filing cabinets. He stood with one foot across the other arms folded. He was tall and lithe, his impressively expensive suit hung from his frame. Dark hair that begged to have fingers tangle in it. Eyes the__colour__of the ocean and just as dangerous. A face so defined it almost looked like it should belong to a roman emperor. His nose would have dominated his face had his cheekbones not been so sharp; his eyes were just as sharp and missed nothing._

_"__Please; carry on." He said sarcastically._

_"__If I'd know there'd be an audience I'd have kept some of the costumes." Toby spat._

_"__Agent Western, it called for a lady and seeing as you were the closest thing we had you got the job."_

_"__You arrogant bas…."_

_"__Mycroft!" Sherlock boomed. _

_Toby was rounding the desk as Sherlock caught her elbow much to her annoyance._

_"__Let me go you prick." She said trying to wrestle out of his grip._

_"__I'm sorry I can't let you kill my brother. As much as it would be an amusement to watch…. Oh go on just rough him up a bit." Sherlock let go of her momentarily._

_"__Sherlock!" Mycroft yelped._

_"__No sorry can't let it happen sorry." Sherlock said grabbing Toby's arm and swinging her around to face him. _

_She felt herself connect with his chest. Sherlock rested his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face Mycroft._

_"__Now dearest brother you owe Agent Western…."_

_"__Toby." She intoned._

_"__Ah Toby here an apology. If you do Toby and I shall leave you to run the country. Otherwise I shall leave Toby here and go and prepare for your funeral."_

_After a moment of inner turmoil Mycroft let out a sigh._

_"__Agent Western…"_

_"__Toby!" Sherlock corrected._

_"__Toby I am truly sorry. That was an incredibly sexist remark and…."_

_"__And you are a sanctimonious arse hole was it?" he asked._

_Toby nodded._

_"__And I am a sanctimonious arse hole." Mycroft said through gritted teeth._

_"__See now that wasn't so hard was it. I think a healthy pay rise won't go amiss either. Well seems my work is done here tootles." With that he grabbed his coat from the stand by the door and breezed out._

_Toby and Mycroft were left stunned._

_"__He is your brother?" Toby asked shocked._

_"__Yes my younger infuriating brother. The consulting detective." He sneered._

_"__Don't forget the more intelligent." Sherlock shouted from the doorway. "Toby Western care to get coffee? You can tell me all about your adventures for my brother." He said with a childish grin._

_Toby looked back at Mycroft and thought he was going to explode. He was obviously against the idea of his brother consorting with his employees. _

_"__That sounds like a date Mr. Holmes." She said over her shoulder as she watched Mycroft's knuckles turn white on the arms of his chair._

_That was the first time she met the irrepressible Sherlock Holmes. Little did she know then just how much he would change her life and not always for the better._

Toby smiled to herself as she watched the world go by. It was certainly going to be a challenge. One that neither would forget.

The smell of highly polished leather and cigar smoke attacked her nostrils as she entered the Diogenes club. Anthea managed to traverse the room without having to look up from the screen that had all her attention. Toby held her head high as she walked past the old gentlemen, some showing their less than gentlemanly side. She dodged a wandering hand and fought back the urge to smack its owner square in the face. Anthea was waiting for her with a rather surly looking what she could only be described as a bodyguard. So after staring down the cheeky old git she joined her.

His office was still the same. Immaculately clean and tidy and it had nothing to do with his assistant. The imposing figure of her majesty looking over the eldest Holmes brother as if he were her challenger. Toby shivered.

"Thank you Anthea that will be all for this evening." Mycroft said not even bothering to look at his assistant.

She snorted in disgust and left.

Toby looked more than a little out of place. She hadn't been given the opportunity to change. The ridiculously expensive red dress was now a sea of wrinkles, her feet ached and her head was itching like she had lice. Toby let out a sigh as Mycroft continued to peruse the files before him. He was doing it deliberately to get under her skin. It was becoming tedious. If he wasn't going to make the first move then she was.

Mycroft stopped as a pair of high heeled shoes landed on the piece of paper in front of him narrowly missing his fingers. He looked up to see Toby grinning at him.

"Agent Western it's a pleasure and in one piece." He smirked.

"Well I guess you will have to try harder next time. That reminds me you owe me a new pair of Minolos!"

"Yes well your choice in footwear has always been …. Questionable." Mycroft said with an air of disgust as he handed back her shoes.

"I have expensive tastes but you would know that." Toby said raising her eyebrow and rounding his desk.

"Mmmm I would say more dangerous certainly when it comes to men." He shifted uneasily in his chair.

"What would your taste be? Slutty personal assistants?" Toby whispered seductively as she placed her hands on the arms of his chair and bent over him giving a bird's eye view of her cleavage.

Toby sat back on his desk and shook out her brown hair as she took off her red wig. As her eyes settled back on the man in front of her she saw the beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"Do you like your women to be the submissive type? I bet you prefer to be dominated. You like to be treated like a naughty little boy I can see it in your face." Toby ran her foot up his leg until it reached his crotch and left it on his thigh. "All you politician types do. They are the strong men not to be trifled with on the outside; in the bedroom they love nothing more than licking their mistress' boot!" she purred.

Mycroft broke into a smile.

"Did you try that with my brother?"

"The stories I could tell about the nights with your brother….. they would make your toes curl." Toby purred. "You underestimate him…. I hardly ever slept and sometimes we never left his bed." Toby moaned and walked her foot up Mycroft's expensive suit jacket until it rested over his heart.

She watched as he took a sharp intake of breath.

"My dear Toby. We both know that my little brother was incapable of such things whilst in your presence. Most of the time he was high and the rest vomiting into a bucket." Mycroft snorted in disgust as he took hold of her ankle and pushed it away so it sat back with its counterpart.

"Ahh yes. The dark sordid past that you asked me to keep under wraps for you. Don't want anything to get in the way of your plans for world domination." Toby hopped down from the desk and walked to the seat on the other side. "So is that what you asked me here for? To clean up after your junkie brother or had you truly missed me?"

"Hmmm. Well my brother has managed to get himself engaged in a debacle with Moriarty. He's taken a sudden interest in Sherlock. As per usual he has been treading on a lot of toes." He cringed as he handed her a file.

"I thought you said this…this doctor had been keeping him in check?"

"Come Toby you know him as well as I do; no one can rein in my brother."

"So why now? Why the sudden interest?"

"This is what I want you to find out? Sherlock had an encounter with Irene Adler."

Toby abruptly stopped flicking through the paperwork in front of her.

"The woman? What in god's name did she want with him? Christ she would eat him alive?"

"A very special client shall we say required his services in retrieving some sensitive material."

"Which one was it?" Toby smirked.

"I'm sorry?" Mycroft looked puzzled.

"Which one of the hierarchy was it?" Toby motioned towards the picture behind him.

"I not at liberty to divulge that information."

"Did he find them? The pictures?"

"Yes… wait a minute how did you know?"

"You forget I have my sources and they were being offered at an extortionate price."

"Well it all worked out in the end. It would seem that Moriarty and Ms. Adler have some sort of connection. Ms. Adler is no longer a problem but Moriarty has been causing problems of his own."

"And you want me to find out what they are and why the sudden interest in your brother?"

"Yes. You will be paid in the usual way on completion."

Toby considered the proposition.

"My answer is go fuck yourself."


	3. Chapter 3

**This is where our not so friendly Jaguar Villains make their first appearance. Be aware lots of VIOLENCE AND SWEARY WORDS!**

Mario Stein had blacked out in an alley and not for the first time. Life had dealt him a shitty hand that night. His company for the evening had arrived and she was a looker. He had been unable to stop himself looking at her ass all the time he poured the drinks. Mario had asked for someone special and it looked like he'd got one. That was until the evening was spoilt by the mercenaries who'd broken in.

He had been pulled from the room and dragged down the stairs. His date for the night was probably entertaining the rest of them whether she wanted to or not. Mario had felt every stair on his way down. His shoulders roared with pain as did his knees. He was eventually pulled out into the cold night. If his injuries weren't bad enough already his captors decided to beat him in the alleyway. When he blacked out they had left him.

As Mario tried to open at least one of his blackened eyes he found his situation had not improved. He had been rescued but not by a Good Samaritan but by someone who had him on his knees and handcuffed.

"Mr Stein so glad you could join us!" a voice came from somewhere to his left.

Mario felt a sliver of ice run down his spine.

"It seems you've had a tough night?"

"I was fucking jumped. Some bastards attacked me in the alley." Mario spat.

"Really how unfortunate." The voice sounded closer.

He tried to get a gauge of his surroundings. Wherever he was it was cold. The only light seemed to be coming from in front of him.

"I was on my way back to the hotel and ….."

"Paris is a beautiful city at night. That said you really shouldn't take the back streets alone it can be extremely dangerous." The disembodied voice dropped to a menacing tone.

Mario gave a grunt as he felt himself losing his balance and the ground beneath him aggravating his already chaffed and bruised knees.

"I'd had a few to drink and wasn't thinking straight I guess."

"It looks like you have had a nasty blow to the head. Could this be causing the amnesia?" Mario was startled as a younger man's face came hazily into view.

"Amnesia?" he stuttered.

"Yes concussion can trigger it." The other man grabbed Mario's chin roughly. "You are lying. I am not a man to mess with Mr Stein. Now would you like to tell me what really happened?" he said standing.

"I swear that's all I was jumped." His vision clearing slightly he noticed the younger man signalling one of his colleagues.

Mario screamed as one of his fingers was broken.

"Shall we try again?"

"Fuck you!"

Two more fingers were broken.

"Mr Stein you only have 5 more fingers. What shall I break when those run out hmmm?"

Mario's chin was on his chest and he was breathing heavily.

"Mercenaries?" he shouted as he felt another of his fingers lined up.

"Sorry I missed that?"

SNAP.

He threw back his head and roared into the night.

"You bastard!" he spat as his head was jerked back violently.

The younger man placed his gun to the underside of Mario's chin.

"You fucking piece of shit. You have cost me millions; now where the fuck is the flash drive?"

"Mercenaries broke in. I can only imagine they belonged to Carter." He gulped.

His head was released.

"What did you do bend over and let them take it?"

"They grabbed the whore and tied me up and beat the shit out of me." Mario managed to slur. "Bet they had a pretty wild time it sure sounded like it."

"I want Carter; and find out who this whore is and where she came from?" the younger man bellowed to his men. "You disappoint me Mr Stein. I don't like to be disappointed!"

A single gunshot rang out through the night. Jude Rathmore gave his associate back his gun. Taking off his leather gloves and unfastening his jacket he walked back to his car. As the man opened the door for him to get in he smiled to himself. It looked like he was going to have some fun retrieving his property after all.

Jude wearily got out of his Jaguar in the underground car park. He had endured a flight from Paris and a long drive he needed a drink. He was met at the elevator by two of the hired hands. They gave a curt nod and allowed him access. Jude leaned against the lift wall. Stein had been a bad choice of bag man. He had been Aidan's idea; he cursed himself for not using his gut. Now he had to be the one to give the bad news. His best people were working on trying to track down the mercenaries starting with Stein's companion. Jude ran his fingers through his already mussed hair in frustration. He really didn't need the third degree right now.

The lift opened out on to the penthouse floor. Jude had always felt it too ostentatious for his liking; favouring the minimalist approach. His footsteps rang out on the Italian marble floor. The wood panelled walls were dark and held various expensive artworks. Jude shook his head. The owner of the pieces didn't have a clue who they were painted by or what they depicted, they were just an investment or spoils of war. As he strode down the corridor he buttoned and smoothed down his jacket. He was barred from entering by more hired help who divested him of any weapons and showed him into the ante room before leaving him there to announce his presence.

Jude took a moment to survey this part of the penthouse. It was more functional. There were expensive sofas lining the walls. In the middle of the room was an imposing antique table with the biggest flower arrangement he had ever seen. He would never thought Oliver a man who appreciated the beauty of flowers. Jude smirked to himself and moved to smell them. As he took in the bouquet one of the doors to his right opened and the hired help re-emerged. Jude looked to see that the help was not alone. He was accompanied by a tall slim elegantly dressed blonde woman. She smiled at him as she passed. He saw she must have dressed in a hurry because he could see the lace of what he thought must be her knickers sticking out of her clutch. He got a waft of cologne and scotch as she winked at him.

Lola. She had gone up in the world. Attending to the boss now. He felt his cock twitch at the thought of what her talented little mouth could do. A polite cough brought him back to earth. He looked to see the help was holding the inner door open. With a smile and a mental note to call Lola later he went to face the music.

As the door shut behind him Jude saw Oliver was pouring himself a drink. The older man held up a glass to offer him one. Jude nodded in acceptance.

"How was the trip?" Oliver said motioning for him to sit down and handed him his drink.

"Not as much fun as you were having! You're old enough to be her father; hell maybe even her grandfather." Jude shook his head and laughed.

"Lola is quite something. Isn't it about time you settled down?" he smirked.

Jude placed his glass on the table and looked at the older man. The muscle in his jaw clenched as he forced himself not to retaliate.

His brown eyes were cold and lacked any sign of humanity. His nose had obviously been broken many times; misshapen and crooked. His pencil thin moustache sat proudly above his thin snake like lips. His mouth his ultimate weapon. A voice hard and commanding; an air of authority to show who was in charge. Oliver had the ability to make a man twice his size feel like a piece of dirt on his shoe. What he lacked in height he made up for in presence. He was the boss and no one argued with that and lived. Oliver never spoke of the past but from the scars Jude had seen he knew he hadn't got to the top of the ladder easily. He liked fast women and sloe gin. Being the most feared man in London had it's advantages.

He was almost a father figure to him; his own father being absent for most of his life. Oliver had taken him under his wing after a business deal had gone wrong with his former employer. After which Jude was out of a job.

"So Paris?" Oliver asked placing his arm over the back of the sofa.

"Paris was a bust." Jude said exasperated.

Oliver raised an eyebrow.

"Mario Stein was a complete piss artist. Where on god's earth did Aidan find him?"

"Stein is…" Jude shook his head. "Was a liability. It was his last chance. He had screwed up too many times."

Jude sighed and tapped his fingers on his chin.

"From what I managed to get from him he was attacked by mercenaries. He took them to be from Carter. Some of them beat him whilst the others had some fun with the company he had hired for the evening. So when we got there he was unconscious in the alley minus the flash drive."

Oliver pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned.

"Carter? Are we sure?"

"I've got my people on it. Tracking Stein's movements and tracking down the prostitute. We know Carter wanted it first. He would sell it to the highest bidder more likely the Taliban."

"At least we are a little more discerning to who we supply with weapons." Oliver snarled in disgust.

"You could say that."

"We stand to lose millions my boy; and to that fucker. It turns my stomach."

Oliver got up from the sofa and went back to his bar.

Jude braced himself for what was coming next. Oliver's glass whizzed past his ear and smashed into the pillar behind him.

"I want Carter here and on his knees begging for me not to cut off his balls and ram them down his throat. He has crossed the line this time. That bastard needs to pay." Oliver spat with rage.

Jude watched Oliver carefully as he got up from the sofa and turned to leave.

"Son?"

Jude turned back.

"Don't fuck up or I WILL have YOUR balls!" Oliver said menacingly.


	4. Chapter 4

John Watson wearily opened the door to 221b Baker Street. As the door closed behind him he heard heavy footsteps from upstairs. It would seem that his flat mate had returned. He took a deep breath and steeled himself for their reunion.

Sherlock Holmes was pacing his living room taking care to make use of the furniture in the process. He had been talking to Lestrade for all of two minutes and he irked him already.

"As I said Gary she did not kill him; look at her fingernails for god's sake!" he bellowed as he stood in the middle of the sofa. He rolled his eyes in disgust.

"The whole of Scotland Yard and the case goes to you… because I see things….. you may see but you don't observe… your brain must be so lonely… call me back when you have something intelligent to say!"

Sherlock threw his phone on the sofa. He closed his eyes and ran his hands through his unruly curls and took a deep breath. He was brought back to earth with the sound of a cough. Sherlock slowly opened his eyes to see John Watson standing in front of him and something told him he wasn't happy.

"Where have you been?" Sherlock huffed as he vacated the sofa to sit in his chair.

"Really?" John said exasperated.

"I needed you for….. something it doesn't matter now." He said waving off the comment.

"You have been missing for 3 days." John said through gritted teeth.

"I was not missing I was on a case!" Sherlock let out an exasperated sigh.

"I got up and you were gone Sherlock! No call nothing. Even Mycroft couldn't locate you."

"He's slipping." Sherlock stretched out his long legs.

Closing his eyes he laid his head back.

John let out an angry sigh and headed to the kitchen. The table was littered with various bits of chemistry paraphernalia. Numerous beakers gave off foul smelling gases as he walked past to the kettle. He wrinkled his nose and switched it on. Opening the overhead cupboard he took down the tea canister to find it was empty. A jar with remnants of coffee stood next to it and wearily he took that instead. He looked around for a mug and found that most of them were in the sink with various degrees of mold growing in them. Cursing under his breath he set about washing up. The kettle clicked signaling it had boiled. Drying his hands he went over to the fridge. He regretted opening it as soon as the door was ajar. Instead of food stuffs their fridge it contained various body parts in states of decay. The most worrying of all there was a severed head. John quickly shut it again and rested his head against the cold surface.

"Sherlock?... Sherlock….SHERLOCK!"

"John keep it down I am…."

"There is a severed head in the fridge!" John shouted.

Sherlock looked at him quizzically.

"Ah yes that is what I was going to tell you about; but you weren't here so I am telling you now." He said nonchalantly waving hands dismissively.

"Why is it there?" John said trying to calm himself.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Erm let me think…. NO!"

"Oh John do I have to think for you as well? It's for the case I'm working on!"

John balled his fists at his sides and took a deep breath.

"A case?"

"Yes it's at least a nine. I love a good murder." Sherlock's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh and by the way we have run out of milk."

"In the world that doesn't revolve around you there are places called shops that sell milk and even tea!"

"My card is in my coat pocket. Whilst you're at it we need biscuits."

"Biscuits?" John questioned.

"Yes biscuits. Is there an echo in here?" Sherlock said placing his arm over his eyes.

"While I am procuring these items you are going to be doing what exactly?" John asked.

Sherlock was quiet. John stared at him awaiting an answer. Sherlock never moved. John rolled his eyes and admitted defeat. He took the wallet from his coat and pulled out his card. He cursed to himself as he walked down the stairs and vowed he would make sure to buy obscene amounts of alcohol and chocolate.

"Bollocks!" John said a little too loudly.

The other shoppers looked at him in disgust.

He was faced with a formidable opponent. Time spent in the army and in Sherlock's company had not prepared him for this. Had he finally been beaten?

_Place item in bagging area_

The disembodied harpies screeched at him.

"It is!" he cursed as he picked up the bag and slammed it down.

_Please wait for assistance_

"The bloody bag is right there for god's sake!" John growled throwing his hands up in defeat.

"Damn till Nazi's got you too huh?" a soothing voice to his right cut through the supermarket rage.

"I seem to be her latest victim yes." He said letting out an exasperating sigh.

"I saw a man scan a television as bananas the other day. Serves them right."

John scowled at the irony and turned to see his fellow victim.

Putting some flowers into one of those odd shaped bags she looked at him and smiled. A sincere smile that made him mirror it.

"Sir you can finish up now." The assistant chirped in.

"Right great thanks." John rammed in Sherlock's card and punched in the pin number as quick as he could.

He looked over at the woman who was finishing up and was about to leave.

"Can I get you a coffee? Or a hot sweet tea? You know to help with the trauma….. "

She turned and looked at him questioningly.

"Of falling victim to these faceless bandit's." he smiled sheepishly looking at his feet.

"Well I've never been classed as a damsel in distress before; what the hell sure why not."

John looked up to see her smirking at him.

"So if this is the first meeting of our little support group we should exchange names. I'm John Watson." John said putting his bags down next to the table in the supermarket café.

"It's a pleasure to meet you John. I'm Laura, Laura Mason."

"Ok Laura you settle yourself and soak in the ambience and I'll get the tea." John said taking out his wallet and heading for the counter.

Toby watched his retreating back. So this was Holmes' new keeper. He was cute.


	5. Chapter 5

**Please note this chapter contains a scene of sexual violence so if this is an issue for you please proceed with caution. Thank you x**

Jude stretched out his long legs and rested his head wearily on the back of the sofa. He ran his hand through his hair. It had been a trying week. Since giving Oliver the bad news about Stein he'd encountered one dead end after another. He had his suspicions that Carter wasn't directly involved in the disappearance of the flash drive and the search for the prostitute was proving fruitless. He heaved a weary sigh and felt a gentle touch on his shoulder.

"Tough week?" Lola said huskily.

"Something like that." She handed him a glass of scotch with ice.

"How about a massage? Help you loosen up?" Lola began to slip off his jacket.

Jude revelled in her touch before putting his drink on the table and taking off his jacket and waistcoat.

"Lean back honey." She purred and started to massage his shoulders.

Jude groaned as he felt her fingers working to rid the knots in his muscles.

"My you are tense. Maybe in a bit I can find some other way of helping you relax?" Lola bent down to nibble her ear.

"Dropping your standards are we?" Jude bit back.

"What?" Lola exclaimed.

"Since when did you start fucking the boss?" Jude sneered.

"Since when has that been any of your business?" Lola took a step back as Jude got up from the sofa.

"It's my business when you belong to me!" He shouted balling his fists.

"Hell I don't belong to you! If you want me exclusive then you are going to have to pay a hell of a lot more!"

Jude laughed menacingly and vaulted the sofa.

Lola was stunned to move until he grabbed her around her throat.

"You are mine! Did he make you scream like I do? Hmm?"

"No." Lola croaked.

"Was it the thought of fucking him make you drop to your knees and suck his cock?" Jude growled in her ear.

"Jude I'm…sorry!" she rasped feeling light headed.

"You are going to show me just how sorry you are as I fuck you so hard you forget your own name!" Jude turned her around and threw her over the back of the sofa.

Lola screamed as his hand pushed her down so her ass was presented for him.

"By the time I'm finished with you no other man will want to go near you. Do you understand?" he commanded.

"Jude please no I'm sorry. How could I say no?" Lola sobbed.

Jude hitched up her skirt to find she wasn't wearing underwear. He gave a moan of approval. With his free hand he spanked her.

"Shit!" Lola cried.

"Carry on I love to hear you scream it makes me so hard!" he said smacking her rear again.

Lola was struggling to get up; her blonde hair covering her face. Jude began to rub his growing erection against her ass.

Lola gulped at the feeling of his trousers against her most sensitive parts.

"You like it rough don't you slut!" Jude growled. "Fuck!" he yelled as he felt his phone vibrate and then begin to ring.

Pulling up Lola to stand in front of him he fished out his phone from his pocket.

"Change of plan!" he said forcing her to her knees. "Suck my cock!"

Lola was sobbing and screamed as he took a fistful of her hair and dragged her to his crotch. Her fingers trembled as she unfastened his zip.

With a sharp intake of breath he swiped across the phones screen to answer it.

"This had better be good!" he hissed down the phone.

"Sorry boss. It's just we've had a hit on the prostitute. CCTV caught her getting into a car from Stein's hotel."

"About fucking time! Do we know who she is?" his voice wavered.

"No sir but I am sending the shots over to you now."

"Good!" he said shutting his phone. He grabbed a handful of Lola's hair and pulled her upright.

"Sorry slut but I'm tired of you!" he placed himself back into his trousers and zipped up.

Lola was a mess. Her make up running down her face and she was shaking uncontrollably.

"Get out!" Jude bellowed.

Lola shakily made her way around the apartment picking up her things. As she reached the door she turned around.

"You fucking prick!" Lola screamed as she left.

Jude was already across the room and starting up his laptop. He located the email and opened it. There was an attached video file which he double clicked to open.

Grainy footage of the outside of a French hotel filled the screen. A woman dressed in red walked down the steps towards the town car and after disconnecting her phone call she looked up and got in. Jude took a deep breath and rewound the footage and zoomed in. He froze it at the moment when she looked up and his breath caught in his throat. Jude stood upright and scratched his chin. In a fit of rage he slammed his fist on the desk.

"Damn it Toby!"

Mycroft Holmes was at lunch. He had let the country let it run itself for an hour or so. All he needed was a good meal, some peace to read the paper and of course cake. He relaxed into his chair as the harpist began her set. Closing his eyes he let the music wash over him and with a cleansing breath he decided to peruse the menu. After a careful study he signaled the waiter over to take his order. One of the servers poured his water as Mycroft picked up his newspaper. He tutted and sighed in disgust at the latest government conspiracy theories. Where did these people get their ideas from? His reading was disturbed by a polite cough from across the table. Irked at being interrupted he lowered his paper to be faced by not one of his employees but Jude Rathmore.

Jude was sat his blue/green eyes boring into his. He had been blessed with the face and body of a god just a shame his soul belonged to the devil. His voice was deep purring and pure sex. Many a woman had been lost to his charms and lost their lives to his body. He had short brown hair that kinked just slightly unfortunately the rest of the man was more than a little kinked.

Mycroft folded his paper without taking his eyes off him for even one second.

"Mr Rathmore. This is a surprise" he said placing his hands on the folded newspaper.

"Mr Holmes." Jude said leaning back in his chair.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I hear this place does an amazing truffle linguine." Jude said absent mindedly brushing his finger over his lips. "I couldn't wait to try it out."

"Really? I'm quite partial to the shellfish myself." Mycroft gave an insincere smile.

"I'm a bit put out. I thought that Lizzie would have given up the throne for you by now." Jude said sarcastically.

"As pleasant as this is; what are you really here for. Jude?" Mycroft sat forward and stared at him down his nose.

"I was hoping to meet up with some old friends whilst I was in town. How is your brother?" Jude saw Mycroft bristle at the mention of his sibling.

"Doing rather well for himself. Quite the celebrity."

"Good I see he has a new partner. A doctor no less." Jude couldn't help but notice the slight tick on Mycroft's face.

Jude smiled with satisfaction. He had been following Sherlock's movements for some time.

"If you like I will get him to give you an autograph."

"Ehehe…." Jude laughed. He abruptly stopped and leaned over the table slightly.

"Where is she?" he sneered.

"Where is who?" Mycroft said calmly.

"That little whore. Toby Western!"

"I have no idea. We parted company a long time ago. She decided to retire."

"Bullshit! You know as well as I do she cannot give up the job." Jude raged causing the whole restaurant to become silent.

Mycroft pulled out his napkin and spread it across his lap with a flourish.

"Maybe I should ask Sherlock?" Jude said calmly.

Mycroft's head shot; his eyes blazing with anger met the steely glare of the man in front of him.

"I told you I don't know where she is and you will do as well to stay away from my brother. That path can only lead to trouble."

Jude smiled and lowered his glare.

"Your loyalty is admirable Mycroft." He said gracefully getting out of his chair.

Jude smoothed down his jacket before buttoning it. He stooped to whisper in Mycroft's ear.

_"__I will find her and when I retrieve my property I WILL kill her and send her back to you piece by piece."_

Mycroft didn't reply.

"Enjoy your lunch Mr Holmes. Until next time." Jude said with a smirk and left him to his thoughts.

Mycroft let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding and scrunched up his napkin and threw it onto the table in rage.


	6. Chapter 6

John came down the stairs with a tune on his lips and a spring in his step. He had a date. A proper date with a woman and not Sherlock at the mortuary.

The world's only consulting detective never acknowledged his flat mate as he came into the room. John strutted over to the fireplace. He checked his collar and that he didn't have shaving foam on his face. John looked at Sherlock in the mirror. He sat with his shoulders back and his back ramrod straight. He had plumbed for the maroon dressing gown today. John thanked the heavens it wasn't sheet day again.

"Aren't you going to ask?" he quipped as he smoothed his hands over his jumper.

His friend remained silent.

"Sherlock?" still no reply. "Sherlock I am going to parade around Leicester Square naked." John spat in frustration.

"I would have chosen a better time. Rush hour is always good." Sherlock replied not taking his eyes of the screen in front of him.

"I am going on a date Sherlock!"

John was startled at the speed in which Sherlock closed the lid of his laptop, jumped up from his seat and came to stand in front of him.

"Since when? Never mind I will get my coat." He said waving his hands around in his usual maniacal manner.

John sighed.

"Sherlock?" he shouted as his friend battled to get his coat off the peg.

"What?"

"I am going on a date on my own."

Sherlock stopped and looked at him confused.

"John if you are alone you cannot call it a date. That usually comprises of at least two people."

John took a deep breath.

"I mean I am going on a date with a woman I met called Laura. Not your idea of a date."

Sherlock stopped mid buttoning.

"A woman? Are you sure?"

"Yes! I met her at the supermarket the other day." He watched confused as Sherlock carried on getting his coat on.

"Laura?" John nodded. "She must be scraping the bottom of the barrel picking up potential husbands in supermarkets."

John rolled his eyes.

"I am only going out with her to the cinema I don't think you have to start writing the invites just yet. Don't wait up."

John said as he swept past a very bemused Sherlock.

"You've been to Buckingham Palace?" Toby tried not to say too loudly.

"Yep. Even brought home a souvenir ashtray."

"Bloody hell. So did you see her.. the queen I mean."

"No. I mean what would you say to her?" John smiled taking a drink from his pint.

"I would probably ask if she had any betting tips." Toby laughed.

"She probably has plenty. I can't see her sharing though. I do wake up some times wondering what that day will bring. Life with Sherlock Holmes is never dull." He laughed.

"This is your flat mate right?" Toby said nursing her glass of wine.

"You could say that. Your pockets ringing."

"Sorry?" Toby said confused.

"Your phone!" John said pointing over the table towards her jeans.

"Oh god sorry." She took her phone out to see that it was Mycroft. "It looks like one of those sales calls." She said pressing the button to reject the call.

"So how long are you staying in London?" John said smiling.

"Not sure to be honest. As long as the they need me and keep paying me I suppose." She said eyeing him over the rim of her glass.

"What does it entail exactly?"

"Well." She said carefully putting down her glass. "I guess you could call me a trouble shooter."

"Sounds intriguing?"

"Oh god it really isn't. I'm hired by companies to fix problems with staffing, business strategies stuff like that. Tedious; dealing with overbearing idiot's who couldn't figure their way out of a paper bag."

John gave a chuckle.

"So… are you?"

Toby smiled.

"Single?"

John ran his hand through his hair in embarrassment.

"Yes John I am single."

"Oh good good its just that…."

Toby's phone rang again. With a huff she looked to see it was Mycroft again.

"Sorry it's a client. I'm going to have to take it." She said getting up.

"Gosh of course. I'll get us another drink."

"Thanks." She smiled and walked towards the door of the pub.

"Mycroft!"

"Agent Western I can only assume you are ignoring me on purpose."

"I am working."

"Yes well I need to see you urgently."

"I'm on a date!" she said rolling her eyes. Her gaze settled on a car across the street. "Christ Mycroft you are having me followed! You utter prick. You could blow my cover before this even starts!"

Toby didn't hear the response as she disconnected the call. With a sigh she went back into the pub.

"John I'm really sorry but I'm going to have to go. That was my client they have brought the meeting forward to tomorrow and I need to prepare."

John put his pint down hurriedly as she came back in.

"Sure ok no problem." He stuttered.

"I'm so sorry." She said taking her coat from the back of her chair.

"Really it's ok its not like you are brushing me off….. is it." John said awkwardly.

"No John it is not a brush off." She smirked. "I really enjoyed tonight and I would like to see you again if that's ok?"

"Yep that's great. I mean yes it would be lovely." He blushed. "At least let me see you home."

"Ok." She smiled.

They talked more on the ride back to Toby's. John shared some of his experiences of the army; which had Toby hanging on every word and stroking his arm for comfort. Toby spoke of her life; the life Mycroft had made up for her. She felt comfortable with John. He was an honest man; a good man. She only hoped that Sherlock didn't cast John away like he did her.

The taxi pulled up in front of her apartment building and they stepped out. The taxi waited to take John back to Baker Street.

"So this is me." Toby hugged herself against the cold.

"So it is." John smiled.

"I'm sorry I can't ask you up for coffee, I've got such a lot to get through."

"It's fine honestly." He said placing his hand on her arm. "Please ring me when you have a free evening and maybe we can go to dinner?"

"John that would be lovely." Toby said warmly. "Goodnight." She pecked him on the cheek and with one last glance and smile she headed inside.

John watched her go and smiled to himself. His phone buzzed. He took it out of his pocket and looked at the screen.

_We need more biscuits at your earliest convenience _

_SH_

John rolled his eyes heavenwards, took a deep breath and got back into the taxi.

Toby smiled all the way up to her floor. John really was a nice guy, not her type though. Too pedestrian for her liking. She giggled to herself thinking about how Sherlock felt about his flatmate having a girlfriend. The sound of the lift doors opening broke her from her daydream. She dug around in her coat pocket for her keys as she walked to her door. As she went to put the key in she stopped. Something was wrong she could feel it. Taking a deep breath she unlocked it and walked in. The flat was dark and silent, she stood for a moment to adjust her eyes before slowly walking down the hall. Toby listened for any other movement and heard none. She had passed the study door when a hand covered her mouth and tried to drag her in. Toby bit down on the hand and it was removed. She stumbled back up the hall and just got to the door handle when a hand pushed her head against the door with enough force to daze her. She slid to the floor as her attacker cocked his gun.


	7. Chapter 7

Toby's world was spinning but she had to act and act fast. The adrenaline radiated through her veins and her world suddenly became clearer. She heard her assailant prime his gun.

"Mr. Ken…" the rest of the sentence was cut off by the crunching of his knee cap as Toby's foot connected with it.

The man howled in pain and sank to the floor nursing his injury.

Toby took a moment to make sure that the world wasn't spinning too much and unsteadily got up picking up the man's firearm. If indeed her assailant was one of Mycroft's minions then she would make sure he got home. She slowly made progress down the hall. She still felt woozy and unsteady so she used the wall as a brace. Toby screamed as the man grabbed her by the hair and tried to wrestle the gun from her grasp. She threw herself backwards sandwiching the man between her and the wall. Toby heard the air leave his lungs as he was winded. The grip on her hair was released but he still had hold of her wrist; she rammed her elbow into his sternum whilst ripping her wrist from his grasp. She turned to see him clutching at his stomach. Toby brought up the guns muzzle to rest on the top of his bent head.

"Who sent you?" she spat.

"Fuck you bitch!" he choked.

"Not in your life time you piece of shit! Who sent you?" she roared as she dug the muzzle further into the top of his head.

"You are one hell of a pretty prize; no wonder the boss paid so well. Any means necessary he said." He laughed hoarsely.

"What were you sent here for?" Toby stood back and watched him sink to the ground; the gun still trained at his head.

The man looked at her and smiled. It chilled Toby to the bone.

"This is the last time I will ask nicely. What were you sent to do?"

The man gave no reply. Toby exhaled. In one swift motion she brought her foot down on his damaged knee and kept it there.

"Fuck!" he shouted as he vainly tried to remove her foot.

"Last chance. Who do you work for and what were you sent here to do?"

"I can't tell you! He will have me killed."

"Tell me!" Toby roared applying more pressure and hearing more bone crunching.

"ARGH! My…." The rest of his scream was cut off as he passed out.

"Shit!" Toby swore.

She backed up against the opposite wall and slid down to the floor. She had to think. She rested her head on her knees. It was a mess. Mycroft had dangled the carrot and she had taken the bait. Toby rested her head against the wall and looked up at the ceiling. Exhaling loudly she retrieved her phone from her pocket and hoped it still worked. After punching in the number she waited.

"Toby….."

"Shut up and listen! You set me up you prick!"

"Toby listen to me!" Mycroft demanded.

"No I'm done listening to you! Come and pick up your garbage. I will be waiting! So will Scotland yard!" Toby disconnected the call and threw her phone down the hall.

Duct tape was an amazing invention. After contacting Scotland Yard Toby had made sure that her visitor was as comfortable as she deemed fit. His hands and legs were taped together. She sat at her kitchen counter nursing her third glass of wine of the evening. From this vantage point she had a clear view of her visitor and her front door. She looked at her watch and sipped her wine. The question now was who would show up first Mycroft or the Law.

Her answer came with a pounding on the door. Intrigued she ignored it. After another bout of pounding the door was thrown open by a heavy set police officer.

"We have a winner!" Toby said as she watched two more uniformed officers began sweeping her flat.

Detective Inspector Lestrade looked around in bewilderment at the scene before him. His officers were looking for any other possible subjects. When the call came through he had expected a hysterical woman to greet him. As it was the said woman was sitting in the kitchenette nursing a glass of red. She seemed calm almost relaxed. Then he saw the perpetrator. He lay unconscious against the wall, his knee seemed dislocated but no other obvious injuries. He was however bound with tape. Greg scratched his head and went to talk to the victim.

"Miss, my name is Detective Inspector Lestrade." He said politely showing her his badge.

"Yes I know." Toby said without looking at him.

"Can you tell me…..? Hang on what do you mean you know?" he asked confused.

"Your reputation precedes you." She said with a smile.

"Do I know you?"

"No but I have certainly heard about you. It seems that we have a mutual thorn in our side." She said getting off the stool to shake his hand.

Confused Lestrade shook her hand.

Toby looked over his shoulder to see the latest visitor to her little party.

"Speak of the devil!"

Lestrade turned around to see Mycroft Holmes striding towards them with a disgusted look on his face.

"Detective how nice to see you again." Mycroft said sarcastically.

"Mr. Holmes what brings you here?"

"Ahh Miss Western here is a dear friend of mine. I am merely here to make sure she is safe."

"That's very admirable of you." Lestrade felt Toby brush past him.

"You bastard!" she screamed as she trained the attackers gun on Mycroft.

"Toby please, put that away."

Toby took a few steps closer but Mycroft remained unmoved.

"You're slipping. That lackey of yours was sloppy. You underestimated your mark!"

"Miss Western please put the gun down."

"This man set me up. Dragged me here on some fool's errand and then proceeds to try and kill me."

"Oh please if I wanted you dead you would have never made it from Paris." Mycroft said unnerved by the firearm leveled at his head.

"Look will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Lestrade boomed.

"You've always hated me. Hated me for getting so close to your brother! Closer that you have ever been. It ate you up inside to see me succeed where you had failed miserably. Sherlock will always be a mystery to you."

"I did not send him!" Mycroft said pointing to the man on the floor.

"Bullshit!" Toby screamed.

"Toby; for once in your life listen to me!" Mycroft said holding up his hands and slowly edging forwards. "There is something very important you need to know."

"Why the hell should I listen to any more of your lies?" her voice was beginning to crack.

"I didn't send him but I know who did and we need to get you out of here."

"What? I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"You are in grave danger Toby. The rightful owner of the little trinket which you brought back from Paris knows you have it."

Toby's reserve was faltering; she was shaking and lowered the firearm which Lestrade quickly took off her.

"Who?" Toby asked shaken.

"My people are packing your things as we speak. We need to get you to a safe house. Detective I'm sorry you have had a wasted journey; this young lady is under the protection of her majesty's government. I will take it from here." Mycroft said dismissing him.

"Mr. Holmes there has obviously been some kind of assault carried on here and I need….."

"Detective I am handling this. As I said this young lady is of great national importance and you would be advised to take your merry band of men and get back to doing some real police work."

"Just hang on a minute…"

"Sir it's the yard we are needed back there immediately!" One of the officers rushed up.

"Mr. Holmes is looks like I have some real police work to do. I will be keeping an eye on things though." Lestrade said angrily.

With one last look at them both he called his team and left.

"Toby we need to be moving." Mycroft said glancing at the men carrying out her attacker.

"So if you didn't send him who did?" Toby said calmly.

"I will tell you everything in due course but we have to leave now!"

"This is me Mycroft don't piss me around if there is a price on my head I want to know who it is I am dealing with!"

Mycroft sighed. She was stubborn and pig headed.

"Oliver Kennedy. The flash drive belongs to him. Are you happy now? Can we go before re-enforcements turn up?"

"Shit!"


	8. Chapter 8

Toby had watched numbly as Mycroft's people had wiped all trace of her from the apartment. Her assailant whisked away to some ungodly place for questioning and her belongings packed into a truck. Two words had floored her; two words that struck fear into the most hardened of people. Oliver Kennedy. She stood in the empty living room; her head pounding from her encounter and shock. Cursing to herself internally for getting mixed up with him again. He had sent that man to recover his property by any means necessary; she was lucky to be alive. She closed her eyes and tried to push the panic that was rising in her chest back from whence it came when she head a cough behind her.

"So what happens now?" Toby said turning to see Mycroft waiting behind her.

"Now you give me the flash drive and we find somewhere you can be safe."

"Oh no. I risked my neck getting that thing it stays with me."

"Toby. He won't stop until he has it back. There will be more men like him and next time you might not be so lucky."

"So Mr. British Government I hand it over and what happens next? You lock me up again? What happens to the information on that drive? You harvest it and use it to your own ends. You are not better than Kennedy." Toby spat.

"He will sell that information to the highest bidder indiscriminant of who or what they are. It will be used for war and even on our own soldiers. Yes it is valuable but in the wrong hands it is cataclysmic."

"Sir we are ready." One of Mycroft's minions interrupted.

"Well Toby shall we bid this place farewell and find somewhere a little less…. dangerous." Mycroft said standing aside to let her exit.

Neither spoke on the journey across London. The town car weaved in and out of traffic unchallenged. Toby was unnerved but was adamant she wasn't going to show it. Her head hurt like hell. As much as it pained her she had to admit he was right. If Kennedy did get the flash drive its contents could cause all-out war.

Mycroft sat thoughtfully looking out of the window. Toby slid the flash drive onto the seat between them. He noticed the movement at his side and looked at her questioningly.

"That is to be destroyed. If I get one whiff of its contents being extracted and used then I will personally make sure you regret it." Toby seethed.

"Thank you Agent Western you have done your country a great service." Mycroft smiled as he placed the drive in his pocket.

"Yeah right save the medals and parades."

"Well it looks like we have arrived." Mycroft scooted to the edge of his seat. "I think you are going to like it here."

The driver opened the door of the car for them to get out. Toby got out of the car into the brisk London air. She shivered as she took in her new surroundings.

Baker Street.

Mycroft stood behind her.

"It looks like someone is home at least." He said moving around to straighten the door knocker. The number above read 221b.

The hallway of the Victorian three story house was dark and foreboding. Mycroft pushed open the inner door and motioned for Toby pass through.

"Mrs. Hudson?" he called down the hall.

There was no reply.

"Mrs. Hudson?" Mycroft shouted sternly.

A door further up the corridor swiftly opened and Toby could hear the sounds of a television blaring. A petite brown haired woman busied towards them.

"Mycroft Holmes you are making enough noise to wake the dead. What on earth do you want at this time of night? Really I was just getting ready to go to bed. They aren't here. They took off like scolded cats about an hour ago….."

"Mrs. Hudson!" Mycroft cut her short. "This is a very dear friend of mine. She is in need of lodgings and I thought you could accommodate her." He said towering above her.

"Well she could stay with me. I mean the boys have the other floor…."

"Splendid. We shall wait upstairs her belongings will be along shortly." He said taking his leave and going up the staircase.

Toby smiled at the woman in front of her.

"Hello. I'm Toby. Toby Western. It's a lovely place you have here. I'm sorry if this going to cause trouble. It's just that I have found myself suddenly homeless."

"Oh you poor thing. Have you known him long?" Mrs. Hudson gestured in Mycroft's direction with her head.

"Too long." Toby said with a grimace.

Mrs. Hudson gave her a knowing smile and seemed to x-ray her from head to foot. Toby felt uneasy. The woman before didn't seem all she made out to be. Under that housekeeper type exterior seemed to be a matriarch.

"Toby that's an unusual name for a girl. You aren't… weren't…"

Toby smiled.

"No Mrs. Hudson I can assure you I am all woman."

"You never know these days. I mean when they arrived I thought that…"

"Toby!" Mycroft's dulcet tones cut her off mid-sentence.

Toby rolled her eyes.

"It was nice to meet you." She smiled awkwardly at the woman in front of her and climbed the stairs.

The room upstairs was not your usual bachelor pad. No clothes strewn around, empty lager cans or cigarette packets. A battered leather sofa slumped against the back wall. The black and white wallpaper on what she took to be the feature wall had a smiley face painted on it. Toby looked closer and swore she could see bullet holes. Shaking off the odd feeling that presented itself she turned to see Mycroft had made himself comfortable in a chrome framed modern chair. He had contented himself with reading some news articles that had been cut from one paper or another. Toby walked to the large table that sat in-between the large sash windows. It was covered in newspaper clippings, photographs, bills and medical journals. The old feeling of de ja vu crept up on her.

"Who lives here?" she said through gritted teeth.

Mycroft chose to ignore her. She turned in the direction of the kitchen. The world had begun to move in slow motion. Toby felt herself becoming light headed as she entered the small room. It was more like a chemistry lab than a kitchen. The table was cluttered with test tubes, a microscope and various beakers. She thought it was some kind of a joke or she was going to wake up any minute. Toby had seen this before. She had to hold on to the table to steady herself; vaguely aware of Mycroft's voice over her shoulder. Toby rounded on him.

"Who lives here? Tell me!" Toby roared.

She staggered back into the living room seething; already knowing the answer to her question. Her head span as she grabbed onto the old comfy chair in front of her. She laid her head on her hands and tried to let the world come to a stop.

Sherlock was mad bordering on furious. His long legs purposefully carried him up the stairs with John fighting to keep up.

"Mycroft! What the hell are you doing here? I would have thought….." He was cut off mid-sentence as noticed they had company.

Mycroft had risen from his seat and was about to placate his brother when John arrived.

"You could just ring you know." John said exasperated taking his coat off.

"John we have company." Sherlock breathed.

"I can see your brother too you know."

"He means me!" Toby croaked lifting her head.

"Toby?"

"Laura?"


	9. Chapter 9

"This should be interesting." Mycroft said getting out of the chair and coming to stand on the side-lines.

"You… you know her?" John asked confused. "You know Laura?"

"No John I know Toby."

"Laura, she's called Laura. I met her at the supermarket. We went on a date… oh god it was a setup wasn't it?" John said exasperated.

"Toby was sent to keep an eye on you both John." Mycroft interjected.

"Why? You have our every move monitored anyway. Jesus Christ Mycroft!" John bellowed.

"I needed someone closer, someone on the inside."

"Hello Holmes."

Toby broke the uneasy silence between the old friends.

Sherlock looked at the woman before him; clutching onto the back of John's chair for fear of falling. Dark rings around her eyes only helped to accentuate the bump and contusion she had sustained.

"Door or new boyfriend?"

Toby gave an exhausted laugh.

"Both!"

"You've lost weight."

"Nice of you to notice." Toby smirked.

"Ok will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on and who are you? Really?" John said angrily looking between the pair.

"Holmes care to do the honours?" Toby said politely.

"Mycroft you know I don't play well with others." Sherlock walked over to put his coat away.

"Toby is here at my behest to help you with….."

"Help me! Since when do I need your help let alone hers!" he boomed. "She is a wanted criminal dear brother."

"Sherlock she is a valuable asset. She has contacts I can only dream of."

"Sorry to disappoint you Mycroft but this asset however valuable is not staying here a moment longer." Toby roared as she unsteadily made for the door.

To her annoyance it was John who blocked her path.

"It was great to meet you John but will you let me through."

John seemed to be looking at her injuries.

"You are bleeding; it looks like you may have a possible concussion." He said reaching up to move some of her hair away.

"Thank you Doctor Watson but I am absolutely fine."

"I will be the judge of that….. Toby." He said holding on to her arms to steady her.

"Let John look at you…."

Toby turned and glared at Mycroft and stumbled.

"Ok that's final you aren't going anywhere until I have seen to that wound." John said guiding her to his chair.

Toby sat down with an air of disgust.

"Sherlock will you get my stuff from the bathroom." John called over his shoulder.

Sherlock had booted up his laptop and was frantically typing away.

"Sherlock!" John hissed.

Mycroft snorted in amusement.

"Right! I'll get it thank you nurse. You stay there!" he said pointing at Toby and glaring at his flatmate.

"I am not staying here!" Toby growled.

"This is the safest place for you. That is unless you want me to see if Lestrade has a nice jail cell for you." Mycroft said with an air of sarcasm.

"If I'm not mistaken didn't you do that the last time you both met? Lock her up I mean?" Sherlock said without looking up.

"That was for the good of ….. " Mycroft was cut off by the sound of his phone ringing. He moved on to the landing to take the call.

"Ok let's get you patched up." John said coming back into the room. "So…. You know each other?"

"Yes unfortunately. Holmes and I go way back." Toby hissed as John cleaned the wound on her forehead.

"So you're not really Laura and you don't work as a trouble shooter?"

Sherlock jumped up from his seat at the table and came to stand at Toby's side facing John.

"Tabitha Grace Western aka Toby. Born in Hampshire on 6th April 1985. Mother Evelyn Western father unknown…"

John was about to stop him when Toby caught his hand and shook her head.

"Graduated with a BA Honours in History and English Literature. Holds various awards for martial arts. Spent time training in the Metropolitan Police force where she was recruited by my brother. Spent 3 years working for him before… before taking up a post elsewhere. Is a gun for hire and wanted by her Majesty's Government for crimes against the crown. Has a small tattoo of a dragon on her right hip, has broken both her ankles and most of her fingers one of which never set properly…"

Toby produced her middle finger of her right hand in proof. John arched an eyebrow and smiled.

"She enjoys romantic comedies and horror movies. Dislikes cabbage, men with hairy backs and…"

"Consulting Detectives." Toby cut in. "Have you quite finished?"

Sherlock marched over and plonked himself in his chair in disgust at being interrupted.

"Ok Miss Western all done, it seems your skull is thicker than most.."

"Pft."

"I can't see any signs of concussion but I want you to take it easy for a while." John smiled getting up.

"Oh goodie do I get a sticker for being good doctor?" Toby smirked. "Well thanks for your hospitality guys but I must be off." Toby said getting up.

"I think you might want to stay." Mycroft said coming back into the room.

"John has given me the all clear and…."

"Toby…"

"No Mycroft I am leaving and you aren't going to stop me." She said defiantly as she walked towards the door.

"It seems that Oliver isn't working alone."

Toby stopped.

"I had a visitor at lunch the other day. That was the call to say he was still in the country. It would seem that he is still doing his bosses dirty work. Jude Rathmore sends his regards."


	10. Chapter 10

**PLEASE NOTE VIOLENCE AND ROUGH SEX IN THIS CHAPTER SO BE WARNED!**

Toby padded into the kitchen. After all the times she had slept in Holmes' bed that night she found sleep elusive Mrs Hudson had offered her bed which she had politely declined. Toby had hoped that Holmes would have joined her. In his darkest times he had found solace in curling up in his bed with her.

_"__Shhh its ok I'm here now." Toby whispered running her hand gently through his hair._

_Sherlock lay curled into the foetal position. His body drenched in sweat. He had been in his room going cold turkey for 3 days. Toby had to listen to him screaming for anyone or anything that would make it stop. He had threatened her, called her unspeakable names, tried to appeal to her good nature and the thing that hurt the most he told he loved her. Her heart had broken into a million pieces that day because she knew it was a lie. A falsehood to get her to let him out; to find his next fix._

_"__It hurts Toby. Why does it hurt so much?" he sobbed._

_"__Shh. Its that crap leaving your body. Why Sherlock?"_

_"__It makes it stop!"_

_"__Makes what stop?"_

_"__All the noises in my head. My brain hurts…" he curled up tighter._

She stood in one of his shirts and her underwear; it was an old habit and one after all this time she couldn't bring herself to break. Mycroft's news had shocked them both to the core. Why now? She thought she had left that part of her past behind now it was coming to face her head on and it scared her more than anything. They had agreed to meet up again in the morning so she could brief them all.

"I hav…" She heard a sleepy yet familiar baritone voice coming from the other room that made her smile.

"I know two sugars." She looked up as he plonked himself down at the table and seemed to suck all the oxygen from the room with his yawn.

She made the tea after finding the milk at the back of the fridge behind various body parts. Toby sat and pushed a cup in front of him.

"Your brother did a real number on us!"

"What is he like?"

"Mycroft? Tall, mind numbingly boring, a tedious shit…."

"You know who I mean?"

Toby put her mug down.

"Rathmore?" she said quietly.

"What did he do to you that's so bad Toby?" he saw her hands shaking.

"Holmes you really don't want to know."

"He is coming for you Toby. It won't take him long to find out you are in London."

Toby hung her head.

"You wouldn't understand. The less you know the better I'm already compromising your brother's safety I …"

"I can't help you if I don't know what we're up against Toby." She took a deep breath.

"Jude Rathmore is the most evil, twisted son of a bitch I have had the displeasure of dealing with. Your brother and Moriarty are nothing compared to him. He is ruthless, merciless and would sell his own mother to get what he wanted. In fact he probably has. He is cultured, eloquent and devilishly handsome. So as you can imagine he uses all of those qualities to his advantage."

Toby found herself blushing.

"Go on."

"I first came across him in Tokyo. We had both been sent to retrieve the same set of documents. It was a race to see who got to them first. I was still a relative newbie and he won that round. That wasn't before he introduced himself and made sure I would never forget him."

She absent mindedly rubbed a mark on her arm which didn't go un-noticed.

"That's how it played out; our little game. Always trying to get one up on each other sometimes I would come out the loser and then sometimes he would let me win. He was intoxicating we had developed some kind of twisted chemistry. It all changed when Mycroft sent me to break into his compound and retrieve some defence plans that had mysteriously landed in his hands."

Toby took a long swig of her tea to try and steady her nerves.

"It was easy enough to pose as a prostitute to gain entry to his bedroom. I held him at gun point as he stood there in just a towel. For a fleeting moment he looked scared that I had managed to get that close to him. He begged for his life. That night I lost myself to him completely." Toby couldn't look at him.

"I'm not here to pass judgement on you."

"No you already did that!" she snarled.

"That's not fair I did what I had to."

"For queen and country I know. I worked my way into Rathmore's empire like I was asked. I didn't know then that I would end up in his bed as well. He can be very persuasive. The problem is he doesn't like to share his toys so to speak. Once you are in his little organisation you are in it for life. So I was his… play thing."

Toby's hand flew to her mouth as if she were going to be sick.

"Carry on!" Sherlock demanded.

"I can't…"

"Toby what happened the night you left?"

After a long pause Toby took a deep breath.

"I went to tell him I was leaving he turned violent. I'd never seen him like that. He beat me, broke my wrist and then he …. He was just too strong I fought back with everything I had. When he saw me broken and bleeding he stopped for a moment and I tried to escape. I got outside and he shot me. It hit me in the stomach and I lay there I didn't have the strength to fight anymore. I must have passed out. I woke up three days later in hospital. To this day I don't know how I got there but they saved my life."

"What made you leave?"

She got up and put her cup in the sink.

"I'm going to bed goodnight Holmes." As she walked past he caught her wrist.

"Why did you leave him?"

Toby moved an errant curl from his face.

"Someone else needed me more." She walked back to his room and shut the door behind her.

Toby was shaking. Holmes was right he was coming for her. It had been a long time since she had seen the nefarious Mr Rathmore, since the night she left. The whole room seemed to be getting smaller and her chest was becoming uncomfortably tight. She crawled onto the bed and sat hugging her knees and sobbed. So many nights she had woken screaming reliving that night; the night she lost a part of her.

'_The apartment was dark it meant he wasn't home yet. With a small sigh of relief Toby hung up her coat and kicked off her shoes. She had been on edge all day since the text she had received that morning. The text calling her home._

_Toby had smiled as she looked at his prone form. His hair still tousled from the activities of the night before. The sheet barely covering the bottom half of his body, the way his chest rose and fell. Taking a deep breath she had snuck out quietly whilst Jude was still asleep. There would be an interrogation about that later. Toby shuddered at the thought of it. That was one of the rules. He was to be informed of where she was at all times. His list of rules was inexhaustible. They were to protect her, she was important to him and he always protected the important things; his mantra if she ever questioned it. She learnt quickly not to question much of what Jude said._

_The text was unnerving. It was simple but chilling; knocking the air from her lungs. Mycroft Holmes a name she thought she would never see again. How the hell did he get her number? She hadn't dealt with him for well over a year. Things must be bad for him to contact her after leaving him high and dry. He wanted her to come home to England; the hook being his brother Sherlock. The consulting detective? Through Mycroft she had struck an unusual bond with the high functioning sociopath; a sort of tolerance for each other. He was in trouble and Mycroft couldn't help him anymore. _

_Toby had spent the whole day wandering the streets and visiting coffee shops to be alone with her thoughts. It wasn't just a case of saying goodbye and catching the next plane. Jude would be pissed. She would be risking her life and for what a junkie? She had so much at stake so much to lose; yet all she could think about was him; Sherlock. _

_She got herself a bottle of water from the fridge and walked back into the living room._

_"__Busy day my sweet?" came the all too familiar voice from the darkness._

_Toby jumped and dropped the bottle of water._

_"__Shit Jude you scared the hell out of me!" she said bending to pick up the bottle. "Why are you sitting here in the dark?"_

_Jude switched on the table lamp next to him. He was sitting with his arm over the back of the sofa and his long legs stretched out in front of him. He was dressed impeccably as always in an expensive three piece suit._

_"__I was waiting for you to come home. You were out early this morning?"_

_"__Yeah I had some errands to run and I was meeting Nat for lunch later." The interrogation had begun._

_"__I rang you. Why didn't you answer? I was worried." He said coolly, patting the cushion next to him._

_She played with the bottle in her hands and went to sit next to him._

_"__I'm sorry I didn't take my phone with me I forgot to charge it. I didn't mean to worry you." She said quietly._

_Jude had started to stroke her shoulder._

_"__Really I'm sure I saw you plug it in last night."_

_"__Yeah you know me scatty bird."_

_Before Toby had time to react Jude grabbed her jaw and bore down on her._

_"__Don't lie to me Toby I know you had your phone with you. What are you hiding?"_

_"__Jude I…." _

_"__What my sweet?" he said squeezing harder._

_"__Please I need to talk to you."_

_He released her jaw and moved closer to her._

_"__Ok tell me what is worth you lying to me about." His voice had dropped to its most menacing tone._

_"__I can't live like this anymore. I want to live a normal life. A life where we aren't constantly looking over our shoulders."_

_"__You know I can't do that."_

_"__Not even for me?" Toby said putting her hand on his knee._

_"__Toby Toby. The kind of people we are we can't have a normal life. It would be like caging a wild lion."_

_"__I need more Jude." She said looking away._

_He got up from the sofa and started pacing the room._

_Toby's heart started to race._

_"__I have given you everything!" he suddenly rounded on her. "You were nothing when you came to me. A puppet for him! He sent you here alone it was a suicide mission."_

_She could see the anger in his features eerily illuminated by the small table lamp. _

_"__I know but it's not enough don't you understand. I'm tired. Tired of you controlling me. I am not one of your employees."_

_"__No you are just the one I fuck when I choose."_

_"__That's low even for you." Toby sneered. She got up from the sofa and started to walk towards the bedroom._

_"__Where the fuck do you think you are going?"_

_"__Your whore is going to get her stuff." She said over her shoulder._

_Before she reached the door he had grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him._

_"__You are going nowhere." Toby could see the fire in his eyes. "I own you!"_

_"__No one owns me!" she spat._

_"__The minute you opened your legs to me I claimed you!" he said grabbing her hair and biting her shoulder._

_"__Jude stop it!" Toby shouted. "I'm leaving and there is nothing you can do!"_

_She tried to push him off but he grabbed her painfully around the throat._

_"__Oh come now my sweet you don't want to break up this special thing we have going on." His hand became tighter._

_Toby felt the darkness threatening to claim her. That's when she placed a well-timed knee to the groin. His hand released her immediately and he doubled over._

_Toby gasped for breath and stumbled towards the door. She only got a few paces when she felt a hand grab her ankle and she fell forwards and hitting the hardwood floor. It winded her and she jarred her knees. Before she could recover Jude crawled over to her and flipped her on to her back and straddled her pinning her hands at her sides with his knees._

_"__Now that wasn't very nice now was it." He roared slapping her face. "You little bitch!" he slapped her again splitting her lip._

_"__You need to be taught some manners!" his hands going again to her throat._

_Toby struggled against him fighting to breathe. Toby looked at his twisted features. He was actually getting off on this she could feel the bulge of his erection against her stomach. Shit he had an amazing recovery rate. His hands suddenly left her throat and he brutally back handed her. She was dazed and felt blood running from her nose. Jude roughly pulled her to her feet. To steady her he held the back of her neck and pushed her towards the living room and to one of the chairs. He pushed her over the back of the chair and proceeded to pull her arm up her back. She resisted and he broke her wrist. Toby screamed in agony as her wrist burnt and throbbed. She became dizzy with the pain. She heard him take off his belt and he tied her hands together with it. Toby felt like she was going to pass out._

_"__You have brought this on yourself my sweet. You know that no one defies me. You cannot leave, you are mine and mine alone." He spat in her ear. _

_"__Fuck you!" she grimaced._

_"__Oh my sweet talking dirty won't save you." He said flicking up her skirt and ripping her pants from her body in one swift motion._

_"__Jude no!" Toby screamed trying to get up. He twisted her broken wrist to subdue her. She screamed and went limp under his touch._

_"__Oh no you don't no passing out that spoils the fun." He roared grabbing her hair and pulling her head back as he entered her._

_Toby jolted back to reality as she felt him invade her intimately. His one hand in her hair and the other on her hip holding her still whilst he drove into her. It was raw and animalistic. She tried not to cry but the tears came all the same. She was helpless as he brutally pounded her. She felt like her insides were being mutilated with every pass. His breathing was becoming heavier and his thrusts more erratic. She knew that he wasn't far from his release. _

_"__Fuck Toby!" he growled._

_She heard him give out an almost primal growl and his thrusts became uncoordinated as his release claimed him. Toby shuddered. Jude fell forward on top of her spent._

_"__Toby you feel so good around my cock." He rasped in her ear and stood up and dressed himself. _

_When he was presentable again he pulled her up by her hair to face him._

_"__You look so delightful with that just fucked look my sweet." With all the energy she could muster she heabutted him. She heard his nose crack and felt the blood explode from his nose. He released her with a howl. Toby tottered backwards and her back met the wall. She hissed as her broken wrist did too. The adrenaline was pumping through her veins again as she stumbled towards the door and freedom._

_The cold air hit her face like one of Jude's slaps. Her hands were still bound behind her back which made running even more difficult. She had managed the door and now she was running across the grounds towards the gate. A wave of nausea hit her and she stumbled. Cursing she painfully managed to get up. That's when she heard him._

_"__Toby you fucking little whore!" _

_The last thing she heard as the bullet tore through her abdomen._

He stood outside the door listening. Their roles had been reversed. He closed his eyes and sighed. The nights she had spent holding him as his high receded, as he went cold turkey. He had shouted, screamed and lied to her but she remained his constant. He heard her sob and slowly turned the handle and entered. Sherlock stood in the doorway waiting for a sign for him to leave. After a few moments Toby turned her tearstained face to him. Even in the dim light from the hall he could see the pain etched on her face. Slowly he closed his bedroom door and walked to join her on the bed. Toby tried to calm herself as he placed a hand on her knee. She took his hand and laced her fingers in his. An unspoken question passed between them. Toby moved over to let Sherlock into bed. He gently moved in next to her and they lay lost in each other's gaze. She could hold back the tears no more as he pulled her against him and held her as if they were the only two people in the world.


	11. Chapter 11

John rubbed the sleep from his eyes as walked into the kitchen. Sherlock was absent as was their house guest. He yawned and scratched his head. Two empty cups in the sink were the only sign that anyone else had even been there. He sighed as he flicked the switch on the kettle. After Mycroft had left the previous night he had gone to bed and left Sherlock and Toby to get re-acquainted. He had laid listening to them argue. Even in her weakened state it sounded like she matched Sherlock insult for insult. They must have run out of steam or killed each other because after sometime it went quiet. He had debated whether he should go and check but decided to go to sleep instead. So the absence of bodies was a relief.

The kettle clicked to signal it was ready. John reached up to get the coffee jar when he heard Sherlock's bedroom door open.

"I thought you had gone out…." He stopped abruptly as he saw Toby saunter into the kitchen.

"Morning." she said with a yawn. "I'll have a tea if there is one going spare."

She sat at the table and began to rub her temples.

John was dumbstruck. Was she wearing one of Sherlock's shirts? More to the point was there anything else under there. John shook his head realising he was staring. It seemed that their guest was more of an enigma than he had first anticipated.

"Did you sleep ok?" he said placing a mug in front of her.

"Not really. I just kept going over last night." She said with a sigh. "How he sleeps in that bed I have no idea."

"How's your head?"

"Sore but I'll live… well for now at least." Toby said with a lop sided grin.

"So…. You work for Mycroft then?"

"I used to. Then he left me to die and I went free-lance."

John stopped mid sip.

"He…."

"Yep set me up and left me for dead." Toby said blowing on her tea.

"Oh!" John looked confused. "Aren't you pissed at him?"

"Very! You know what they say karma's a bitch when she comes calling. I'm biding my time. Mycroft knows that. Like he said I'm an asset and he is single handidly keeping me out of prison."

"And Sherlock?" John asked nervously.

"What about me?" Sherlock said as he closed his bedroom door.

He swept into the room and took a seat opposite Toby. John sighed and passed his cup to Sherlock and poured himself another.

"John and I were just talking about my favourite subject." Toby said with a smile.

Sherlock looked at her over his mug with a confused expression.

"My brother."

"Did he offer you money too John?"

"What?" John was taken aback for a moment. "Yes he did."

"Thought so. Your brother really needs to work on his people skills."

Sherlock rolled his eyes and sipped his drink.

"So how long have you two known each other?" John asked quietly.

"Mmmm on and off 7 years I guess. Oh Holmes they said it wouldn't last." Toby laughed. "Isn't it about time you made an honest woman of me?"

"That is a job no man could manage." Sherlock snorted.

"Oh come on. John could stay and we could have Mycroft for Christmas. Personally I prefer turkey but…."

"Good Morning children." Mycroft chirped as he walked into the kitchen.

"Speak of the devil." John quipped.

"John!" Toby barked. "Don't you know the devil goes to him for advice." she said grinning.

"Very droll. I see you are feeling better and making yourself at home." He said taking in Toby's attire.

"Well seeing as you made me homeless a girl has to do what she can."

"Yes well. Would you please put some clothes on and we can get started."

Toby raised an eyebrow and John snorted in his tea.

"Oh do grow up." Mycroft huffed taking a seat in Sherlock's chair.

"Ok ok." Toby stood up. "Want to try for round two big boy?"

Kissing Sherlock on the top of his head she made for the bathroom.

Toby closed the door behind her and slumped against it. Outside that door were two people she never thought or wanted to see again and she was about to bare her soul to them. Taking a deep breath she began to take off her one comfort, her shield. The one bit of Sherlock she could trust. It had long lost his scent but she always felt safe with it. Lovingly she hung it on the door and turned on the water.

She stayed curled up in the corner of the shower until the water ran cold. She hoped the water would calm her. It's warmth had hit her and enveloped her in its embrace. Her defences crumbled as she had done. Her raw fear bubbled to the surface as she hugged her knees and sobbed. She had moved on. Her life was different now. Different goals, different priorities. Toby Western was a different woman. She had been kidding herself all these years; making herself believe that her past would never find her. Of course it would there was one defining factor that would make it so. Slowly she got out and dried herself off. The injury was covered by her hair line and made her wince as she ran her brush through it. Toby took a moment to look at herself in the mirror. The woman staring back at her seemed almost a stranger. Her once sparkling eyes were dull and had dark rings around them. Her cheeks seemed hollowed and her face drawn. Toby sighed and wet her drying lips and slipped on her clothes.

The kitchen was empty when she emerged. The cups had been cleared away and washed. She could hear muffled voices from the other room; steeling herself she followed them.

Sherlock was sitting in his chair. He had his fingers steepled under his chin; his long legs stretched out in front of him. Mycroft stood with his back to the fireplace and stopped talking to his brother as she entered. John got out of his seat as he heard her.

"Toby you can sit here." John motioned to the lone chair in the centre of the room. He smiled apologetically.

"Why do I feel like I am on trial?" she questioned.

"You are here as a client and that is where all our clients sit." Sherlock huffed.

"Blimey it's a wonder any of them stay MR tea and sympathy." Toby tried to make herself comfortable on the worn and battered functional chair.

The chair seemed to mirror her. She felt battered and functional. Holmes was right she had lost weight. Her sweat pants were threatening to slip from her hips and she was drowning in an old threadbare t-shirt.

John shifted in his armchair in sympathy.

"So Agent…. Sorry Toby has entrusted me with the flash drive she procured in Paris. It contains the formula to Androinkov's nerve toxin he was working on before his untimely death. His body was found in his lab in Berlin. He had been shot at point blank range in the head; the lab was destroyed. So I have the only copy of the formula and I don't have to tell you how much it would fetch on the black market."

"Yegor Androinkov. The former KGB scientist?" Sherlock asked.

"The very same."

"He is responsible for more than half of the chemical weapons traded and sold in Russia since the cold war. He was to be tried for his illegal tests on humans but it was covered up by the Russian Government. He was a genius." Sherlock said animatedly.

"An evil genius and a mass murderer by the sounds of him." John said scowling at the childlike smile on Sherlock's face.

"So the formula is on one drive and the antidote on another. We are not sure of the antidotes location. That's where Toby comes in."

"Hang on I was just doing my job." Toby said putting her hands up in defence.

"Dealing in secrets is your new vocation is it?" Sherlock scowled.

"I didn't know what was on that thing when I took on the job. Shit! I just get paid to do a job I don't ask too many questions that can get me killed." Toby growled.

"So Mr Cater hired you?" Mycroft asked.

"Not directly no. I have someone who deals with the formalities for me."

"You have a secretary?"

"No I have an assistant thank you very much. Like you Mr big shot." Toby snapped. "I'm never in one place for very long and I needed someone to help with the paperwork. Robert…"

"Robert?" Sherlock scoffed.

"Yes Robert. He does the clerical thing and I do the secret dangerous stuff. What's that Holmes? Would it be a feeling? Jealousy by any chance?" Toby goaded him.

Sherlock opened his mouth to reply but Mycroft stopped him.

"What do you know about Aaron Carter?"

"Probably considerably less than you. He owns half the night clubs in London and is responsible for most of the class A and recreational drug trade in the country. I met him once. He is charismatic, the type you take home to meet the parents, looks after himself; probably has more bottles in his bathroom than I do. I was at a party and he arrived with his entourage."

"Does he have a business relationship with Mr Rathmore?" Mycroft asked carefully.

Toby took a deep breath to calm the feeling of unease she felt at the mention of that name.

"No. I guess Mr Rathmore sees him as a rival. Certainly from what I saw that night."

Sherlock looked at Toby with an air of disgust that didn't go unnoticed.

"Your guess would be right. There was nearly an all-out war not so long ago between them. Aaron Carter aged 35, born in China. Only child to Frederick and Michelle Carter now deceased. Educated at Oxford and Eton. Had his own business empire by 23. Has a legitimate advertising company and a string of night clubs. Has been accused of money laundering, fraud and dealing with an intent to supply. All of which have been thrown out down to lack of evidence. So I think we can assume that his influence stretches quite a way."

"So when did he start dealing in chemical weapons?" John interjected.

"Until just recently our Mr Carter had been keeping a low profile; it would seem he is branching out. He has been seen meeting with a whole new class of underworld criminal from further afield."

"So it's possible that he has been muscling in on Jude's territory."

"It's possible."

"Do enlighten us on Jude's repertoire Toby I'm itching to know." Sherlock said edging forward in his seat and resting his elbows on his knees.

Toby looked at him and saw what could only be described as genuine concern on Sherlock's face for just a fleeting second. She shifted in her seat and brought her knees up to her chest. This was her wall, her defence.

"Jude Rathmore is evil. Mycroft is nothing compared to him. I've seen him at his worst but also at his best."

Sherlock went to speak but Toby stopped him.

"Yes before you say it I was with him.." both the Holmes brothers cocked an eyebrow. "Ok I was his lover for a time." Toby swallowed hard.

"Blimey." John said in shock.

"We were thrown together by circumstance." She said glowering at Mycroft. "He is ruthless, thorough, cold hearted and women are but an object to him. We are the weaker sex and just for that purpose. I was never made to feel an equal always the arm candy, the trophy. I was never involved in his deals but was a witness to some of them. He kills without hesitation and certainly doesn't mind getting his hands dirty."

"Toby are you ok?" John asked moving over to her.

She had begun to shake and a fine sheen of sweat was gathering on her forehead. He cautiously placed a hand on her arm. She didn't move or register his presence.

"Oliver Kennedy. That's his mentor. I met him a few times, he considered me an inconvenience, a distraction. He never liked our relationship." Toby let out a strangled laugh as she carried on looking into the distance.

"Toby? Toby look at me?" John said calmly.

She looked at him and the terror and pain in her eyes made John lose his breath.

He stood upright and turned to Mycroft.

"You need to stop this now! She is still in shock." He ordered.

"The more we know…"

"To hell with it Mycroft. She is my patient and I say enough." John roared.

"Jude Rathmore born in London 30th April 1981 to James and Angela Rathmore. He was an only child and no other immediate family. James was a merchant banker and a womaniser. Angela was a talented musician, played the cello. She gave up her career to be a mother. James was a heavy drinker and an abusive husband. Angela was hospitalised on more than one occasion and Jude bore witness to it all."

John looked to Sherlock who was being uncharacteristically quiet. He was watching Toby's reactions to the revelations intently.

"When Jude was 7 his mother left. He was alone with his father and began to learn to fend for himself. Jude was sent to various boarding schools. Whilst home he watched as his father brought prostitutes and other women to the house. Some he would beat and send on their way; others would stay for a while and look after him. As he became a teenager he found other activities to keep him occupied. Petty theft and assault mostly. The rest as they say is history." Mycroft sighed.

John turned to check on Toby. She hadn't moved all the time Mycroft had been talking.

"Toby?" Sherlock asked confused.

"Shakespeare!" Toby whispered.

"Toby?"

"Shakespeare. He can recite every piece of his works. He studied them, he lived for literature. He was well read and is highly intelligent. He….."

Toby looked at Sherlock with a hint of sadness and he swore he saw a tear roll down her cheek. Suddenly she jumped up from her seat; covering her mouth she bolted for the bathroom.


	12. Chapter 12

John tapped gently on the bathroom door.

"Toby are you ok in there?" he asked quietly. "It's just your phone has been ringing."

He heard shuffling and the toilet flushing before Toby slowly opened the door. Her face was ashen and her eyes red and puffy.

"Feel better?" John asked putting a reassuring hand on her arm.

"A little." She rasped.

"Mycroft you got what you came for I think it's time you left." John shouted through to the other room.

"We are far from finished." Mycroft said as he joined them in the hallway.

"I will be the judge of that." John said coming to stand in front of Toby.

"John." Toby said quietly. "I'm fine now really. Can I have my phone now please doctor?"

John gave Mycroft a cautionary look and produced her phone from his pocket.

"Thank you. If you will excuse me." She taking it and heading into Sherlock's room.

"Toby I think…"

Mycroft was cut short by the door.

With a heavy sigh she sat on the bed. Toby knew who had called before she even looked. She hadn't checked in in days. There was bound to be a million and one questions. Taking a deep breath she pressed re-dial.

"Miss Western?" came the curt reply after 3 rings.

"I must be in trouble?" she said with a smirk.

"You are quite alive then?"

"Yes Robert I am in fact alive."

"For that I am grateful. If I am to aid you in your work Toby it would be of help if you could answer your phone from time to time."

"Sorry. Been kind of busy here."

"Yes I heard about your visitor. So who was he?"

"Sent by none other than Oliver Kennedy himself." She said with a weary sigh.

The line went quiet.

"Robert? Robert are you still there?" Toby asked worriedly.

"This job goes deeper than we thought. I'm sorry Toby. I should have realised when Carter offered you it that Kennedy would pop up somewhere." His tone was solemn. "How are you?" he whispered.

"It's ok I'm a big girl. It wouldn't be the first time Oliver has tried to scare me off."

"Toby that's not what I meant."

She took a deep breath before answering.

"Mycroft has had contact with Jude Rathmore. As of yet I haven't."

"So he is in the country?"

"Yes so I'm told."

"Where are you I'm coming straight to you?" Toby heard shuffling in the background.

"Whoa easy tiger. I'm fine. I'm with….. with a friend." She said quickly.

"Wait a minute did you say Mycroft?"

Damn she'd hoped he'd missed that bit.

"Christ Toby you're with him aren't you?" Robert roared.

"It's just until I know it's safe." She felt almost ashamed.

"I don't understand you sometimes. After everything…" he trailed off.

Toby felt her heart sink. Robert was one of the few whom she had shared the stories of Sherlock Holmes. He had sat and listened; never judging.

Robert Parish her little voice of reason. Her 5'9 Jiminy Cricket. He was older than her that was evident. How much they never discussed. His mousey brown hair receding gracefully. His steely blue eyes see everything but give away nothing. He was ex CIA. Broke away due to conflict of interests. She met him whilst on a trip to Saudi Arabia. She got the job done and he didn't. They seemed to see something in each other that awoke a kindred spirit. He watched over her and she had his back. It worked. He handled the negotiations and she carried out the work.

"Robert it's my ass on the line here. I do what I have to!" she said regaining her composure.

"Very well. Cinderella is invited to Carter's party tomorrow night. I hope you packed your glass slippers."


End file.
